20080109

I noticed this news story announcing a new line of American wine because I was posting on the Top Ten tracks of 2007, not because of my Annual Best Of wine list. But I guess that's exactly the syngergy that the marketer wanted for these Merlots and Cabernets named after country singer Miranda Lambert's hit songs: Rockers, for the first time, start hunting down that particular must-have cuvée, and the winebloggers turn to give Ms. Lambert a listen for insight into what makes a wine a wine.

It doesn't seem like anything new and the Miranda Lambert website features the typical marketing writing that bridges winemaking and songwriting.

A good deal of time went into developing this private wine label for Miranda Lambert. The reason is simple: We believe in families working hard together and celebrating success together when it finally comes. Just like wine, in the music industry, there are no overnight sensations. Many years of hard work go into the product that the public ultimately experiences. For that reason we have partnered with the family of the LouViney Vineyards to bottle a wine worthy to put Miranda’s name on. This family owned vineyard exemplifies the very values that we honor. With each of the six wines we offer on Miranda’s private label, we trust you will taste and experience the time, effort and love that goes into every bottle. It is also our hope that you will experience the great pride that comes from working hard and celebrating success together in your own family. Thank you for enjoying a bit of ours with us.

Miranda Lambert Texas Table Wine "Red 55" Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Wineries have found Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends are star performers, and perhaps that’s why our friends and family selected this wine as the front-runner in our inaugural tasting. Named after Miranda’s prized first pickup, a candy apple red 1955 Chevy step-side, this beautiful cherry-colored wine is smooth and medium bodied with a mellow berry aroma. This slightly juicy blend dodges over-oaking. Just like Miranda’s vintage ‘55, our Red 55 is sure to be a classic. Pair this best-all-around wine with almost any kind of food, from fancy fare dinners to picnics and BBQs.

And if after all that you're wondering what my "top tracks" of 2007, I've posted them to my other, mostly defunct blog. Unlike the wines on Weingolb, I posted these tracks not having finished my notes for a proper review of them, but should modern rock and music criticism be your bag, stay un-tuned, as they say.

I actually was judging Miranda Lambert more than the vintners (as I say I come across this while doing a music review, not a wine review). I thought how maybe she need the wino demographic to boost her sales. She's already got great critical acclaim so maybe her name on table wine will better deliver her to the masses!

That's doubtful though since as you pointed out things will likely work in the other direction.

It's always fun to read the latest in wine marketings, be it odd crossover celebrity endorsements (sort of like this)or selling wine in pouch (as was discussed on — shameless plug — InterWined.com), but I never fully understand or appreciate the thinking that goes into it or the appeal that it supposedly poses to its target demographic.

Miranda Lambert listeners might buy the wine once or twice out of loyalty or curiosity, but unless they are regular wine drinkers and the wine is of a reasonable quality and cost, they aren't really going to buy it again are they?

And will anyone else really care enough to justify the costs of the marketing campaign?

It all makes me wonder the marketers for most wines aren't the same people that managed the career of side-kick Hank Kingsley from The Larry Sanders Show.

I know advertising can be expensive, but other than a press release which basically becomes free advertising when media sources (shameless plug — weingolb.blogspot.com) pick it up, I don't see a lot of expense on a marketing campaign.

Miranda herself, and her already existing website, with an already existing online store, show it off. So a lot of the work is already complete -- even her song titles have done all the legwork for the branding of these wines.

Marketing for the "doppelganger affect" as seen here has got to be the easiest, cheapest marketing. Seems like there's nothing to lose financially.

I guess my comments on the cost of marketing were slightly inaccurate. What I meant to suggest was that the cost, not only of marketing the wine itself, but also drafting and agreeing all the aspects of the labels, seeking permission from Lambert’s record company and management to associate her with her with an alcoholic beverage, plus legal fees and lawyers’ fees and…and…and…would, in my mind, have probably outweighed any return on investment, unless someone thought that the team up would drive sales.

Visiting the winery's site, perhaps the team-up is more convivial than I would have imagined. Maybe the winery likes Miranda Lambert’s music and thought it would share the love.

But even still, the winery looks very small and costs must be high.

I know that, in the ultra-competitive UK market, it’s almost too expensive to sell English or Welsh wines anywhere in Britain. As a result, even the very successful, award wining ones can’t be found on most stockists shelves. And when they are, they aren’t cheap, because every part of the process costs ridiculous sums of money.

But maybe, things look different when the stars at night, shine big and bright as they most certainly do deep in the heart of Texas.